The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane; Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline12/1/2021
A heart-breaking and heart-warming story about a rather special china rabbit as he learns the true meaning of what it means to love.
Edward Tulane was not your average rabbit. A handmade gift to Abilene Tulane on her seventh birthday from her grandmother Pellegrina, Edward stood three feet tall, with striking facial features and was the most stylishly dressed of rabbits. Once he arrived in the Tulane household he quickly become an important part of family life. Each morning Abilene would dress him for the day in one of his finest suits and then place him in a chair where he could look out through the window and catch the world go by. In the evenings at dinner time he would join the family around the table and would occasionally listen to the conversations. Edward did a lot of watching and listening, this was mostly because this was all he was able to do. Edward’s life changes dramatically when disaster strikes during a family vacation aboard the Queen Mary and he finds himself flung overboard and sinking down, down, down into the depths of the ocean. Rather than the end of his adventures, this is just the start of a series of events that will see Edward find his feelings and open up his heart because it is one thing to be loved but is an even bigger thing to love… The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a very moving read that will really touch the hearts of readers and many will feel that they have been on as much of an emotional journey as Edward himself. Edward is quite a stuck-up little rabbit. He is self-centred, egotistical and vain. He lives a life of luxury but is either very ungrateful for what he has or doesn’t quite realise how good his life actually is. He shows little appreciation for anything, including the the love that he receives from his ‘mistress’ Abilene. It is only when Edward finds himself in the most perilous of situations - lying on the ocean floor - that he experiences a true emotion for the first time.
On his journey of self-discovery he encounters a fisherman and his wife, a hobo, a farmer and a boy and his very ill sister. Each person he meets helps him see things differently and he learns the importance of love. Tragically, he will also learn what it means to experience loss and this will make it even harder for him to open up his heart to love again.
Kate DiCamillo has a wonderful way with words and she uses some deep and meaningful vocabulary throughout. The book is exquisitely illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline and full page illustrations feature on shiny paper that brings the colours and artwork alive. Each chapter heading is accompanied by a black and white illustration which are wonderful too. A moving story that will have the tears falling on to the pages as readers are swept along by Edward’s adventures and his journey of self-discovery and ultimately learning to love. Recommended for 8+.
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